CHAPTER 37: 34: THE PALACE.

"Now remember, no matter what happens, you are to remain dignified, understood?"

Emilia was drilling into Edward the last bits of knowledge he needed for the ball as they waited for the carriage, and he was... doing his best to listen and absorb her words.

"You remember everything the dance instructor taught you right?"

Emilia adjusted his arm cuffs as she continued with the rapid fire revision.

"While it is known that you may not present as such, you are to still maintain the class of a noble man in the presence of his majesty."

She was now adding the final touching to his hair.

"And most importantly of all." She looked him straight in the eyes, pausing her work for a short moment. "Relax."

Edward nodded, trying his best to relax as instructed.

It was easier said than done.

Even if it had been almost a week since waking up in this body, he had still not gotten used to the pressure that always loomed over his head.

Relax...

He took in a deep breath, and let go slowly.

You got this...

The system also chimed in, shoving into his face the same message for the thousandth time.

[ Encouragement: You’ve Got This! ♡ ]

"Yeah yeah, I know..." He muttered under his breath as Emilia finished with the last of the adjustments.

Emilia hastily finished the final details, then took a step back and gave him a look over.

"Perfect." She whispered, her expression still that of complete focus.

"Now, for the makeup..." She muttered to herself before closing the distance between them again.

This went on for another long hour before Edward was finally released from her tight clutches.

He awkwardly tiptoed around his cluttered room towards the room, silently closing the door behind him as he headed towards the main hall of the Estate.

The hall was quite empty other than his father and Calen who was already waiting for him. He exchanged a small greeting and stood by their side, waiting with them for his partner for the ball.

Edward could still feel the nervousness creeping up his spine, and even though he tried his best, he was barely managing to keep himself from trembling.

You got this...

He reassured himself, trying to soothe the nervous.

He was glad that at least Calen was going to be coming as his escort, after all the recent events, he was starting to grow a little fond of the rather stiff man. And having a familiar face with him while he went to a party with the most important people in the world was more than helpful.

He took a quick glance at Calen.

He was wearing a rather intricate uniform today. Leaving behind his usual plane shirt for a golden one with a lot of embroidery, adorned with pale blue.

He looked a little handsome in it...

Turning his attention back to the present, Edward waited for his partner to show up.

It took her a while to arrive.

Remembering all the etiquette he was taught, Edward stepped forward first, intending to help Selene get out of her carriage. Which in hindsight was not the best idea, because he was nowhere near tall enough to do that properly, so instead, he just masterfully stood by the door as her escort knight helped her get out.

Edward’s world paused for a moment when he saw Selene.

She was a midnight blue gown with frilly ends, matching the colour of her hair. It was a really simple dress compared to what Edward was wearing, but that simplicity only made her stand out more. In the cascading sunlight of the morning glow, Edward felt his heart skip a beat when he realised that he was practically going on a date with this woman for the day.

He quickly pulled himself together and offered her a hand, smiling the best he could as he helped her climb the stairs to the Estate.

"Ah! Lady Selene! Welcome!"

His father’s voice boomed, welcoming the arrival of the lady of Verdigris.

Calen gave a small bow.

Edward led her inside, and Selene greeted the duke.

"Greetings, Your grace."

The duke nodded in return, and led them to the guest room.

The carriage for them only arrived almost an hour later. They both bid their farewells to the duke and got on the carriage. And the escorts, Calen and Selene’s knight got on a carriage behind them.

The royal palace was close enough to where he lived that they only had to leave an hour before the party started.

The journey was quiet enough, he was rather tense in Selene’s company, but she looked relaxed enough, only occasionally stealing glances at Edward when he shifted to adjust his clothes.

The capital itself was a grand city that sprawled through the lands, covering the valleys that stretched into the horizon. It took a while for them to finally see the palace after entering the city.

From afar, the royal palace of Alveris looked less like a building and more like the heart of the kingdom itself—alive, vast, and impossibly still.

It crowned the highest hill overlooking the capital, its white stone walls glowing faintly gold in the late afternoon sun. Long bridges and terraces stretched outward like veins of light, connecting spires that pierced the sky. From where Edward stood, the palace almost didn’t look real, it shimmered faintly against the horizon, like heat on glass.

The main keep was a colossal structure of marblw and crystal, wrapped in terraces that bloomed with hanging gardens. Water flowed through carved channels that shimmered in the light, feeding fountains even from miles away.

A ring of towers circled the core—each tower crowned with banners of crimson and ivory, snapping sharply in the high wind. They bore the symbol of the royal family: a crowned dragon coiled around a sword, its wings unfurled across the fabric like fire frozen in motion.

Around the base of the hill, the Royal District sprawled—a maze of villas, barracks, and gardens where nobles and knights lived under the shadow of their monarch. From the distance, it resembled a second city, orderly and shimmering with wealth.

And beyond it all, faint and nearly hidden by the glow of the sun, Edward could barely see a faint barrier that surrounded the palace grounds—a dome of transparent mana that rippled occasionally, like a dragon breathing in its sleep.

Even from this far, the palace radiated something tangible—a quiet, crushing presence.

It’s beautiful.

Edward unknowingly gulped, slightly overwhelmed by the grandness of the castle in front of him.

And all of a sudden, it felt like stakes placed on his actions had just multiplied by a thousand fold.